Afternoon
by Kushiro
Summary: We all know that Riza bring lots of paperwork to our beloved colonel, but is it the only thing she bring him? Edited on Jun 06.


Disclaimer: no, I don't own anything.

Edited on Jun 06. What I think an ordinary day in the East military HQ would be like when it's not being troubled by bloodlusting terrorist and philosopher's stone-crazy bean-sized kid.

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**Sunny Afternoon**

It's a beautiful afternoon, the sun's shining, the bird's singing, in another word, a perfect day. And Colonel Mustang should be perfectly happy, if not for one single thing.

And now the Ishava war hero is giving that one eye-sore a deadly gaze enough to make a hard-core veteran wet his pant.

But since that said thing is a memo written by an incompetent general (in Mustang's very private opinion, since he would never be foolish enough to criticize a superior, nor used such word which only bring to him personal trauma), it maintained perfect composure and refused to yield more sense to the information it was supposed to convert. The Colonel, being a sensible man, gave up this hopeless interrogation, threw the offensive paper back on his desk, and turned his attention to his aching head instead.

That's why the first thing Hawkeye said when she came into his office was "are you okay, Colonel?"

"No," Mustang growled. "I'm reading a memo from General Quill."

That was enough reason for Hawkeye to offer her heartfelt sympathy, as anyone unfortunate enough to had ever read the general's writing would.

"You would have thought he has encrypted it with alchemy code!" the flame alchemist complained.

"Want some coffee?" Hawkeye suggested reasonably.

"No, thanks," Mustang walked toward the window and looked out. Why must he be working on such a fine day?

"Hear anything interesting?" He decided that a friendly chat with Hawkeye would be a good idea.

"I've heard that Lady Balsalk found out the affair between Lieutenant General Balsalk and Sergeant Ann Polly. It put the Lieu. General in quite a spot." Hawkeye summed up the most sensational news in the whole military in her calm, cool voice.

"Indeed! No doubt it would, knowing her ladyship and her family!" Mustang smiled: he never liked the Lieutenant General. "Guess that means he won't have much hope landing the next promotion." Then he added philosophically, "that's why I make it a rule NOT to date girl from powerful family, no matter how beautiful she is."

"It won't be a problem if you are faithful, sir." Hawkeye pointed out.

"That would mean losing my support in the female sector."

"You mean you prefer sleeping around." Hawkeye, true to her sniper nature, nailed the point. "And talking about promotion, General Kain has applied for early retirement."

"Good, a vacant post. Wonder who would get it?"

"Don't you want to?"

"I want a promotion, but I don't want to clean up after old man Kain. Beside, supply division doesn't offer much in prospective."

"You won't get much prospective if you don't work hard, sir."

"Yeah, yeah. But that memo has scrambled my brain."

"What about doing this first?" Hawkeye handed him a pile of form.

"What's that?"

"Leave applications, it's a no-brain job. I have already checked them. You only need to sign."

"Thanks," and he meant it. Hawkeye wasn't just one that forced him to work, she also helped him do it, taking care of the minor details and allowing him to focus on the important issues.

"I've heard that a new alchemist applied for national license last week … " Hawkeye continued chatting as he signed the forms.

And she was also a great information gatherer in her own unique way. Trustworthy, reliable, other female officers constantly sough her out for advises and entrusted her with their secrets. She would keep them close to her blossom, but if there were part that was useful to him, she would let him know, like she did now, that was until something caught his eye.

"Yes?" Hawkeye stopped in the middle of her story.

Mustang tapped his pen on the form he was signing, "Fury applied leave on 16th."

"Yes. His leave balance is okay, and there would be enough officers on duty."

"That's not what I mean," Mustang frown. "All 5 of you are off duty that particular day, what's up?"

Hawkeye secretly sighed, so much for their carefully laid plan. They have made sure their applications arrived at different time, amid other documents, and had Hawkeye distracting the Colonel when he signed them. But somehow he still caught it!

"I don't know about them, but I'm off for some private business." Hawkeye put up an attempt to defend their plan. She hated lying to the Colonel, but she also hated betraying her friends.

"And what would that be?" but her defense only riveted the Colonel's attention.

"That's private business, sir!" she tried to fence him off with propriety, but Mustang wasn't one that give it a damn.

"A date?"

"No, just a meeting between friends."

Mustang watched her closely, but she's very good at hiding her thought. He sighed, sometime he didn't know whether he should be happy his lieutenant was such a hard nut to crack.

"Anyone I know?"

Hawkeye smiled, "it's hard to say, you know so many people, especially girls."

Mustang looked thoughtfully at Fury's form. Something's wrong, Hawkeye seldom joked about his private affair. In fact, she made it a point not to. This slip could only mean one thing: she's nervous. Mustang smirked, time to show her who she's dealing with!

He handed her back the forms, "I won't approve Fury's leave, tell him to work on 16th."

Hawkeye, to her credit, kept a straight face, "but Fury hasn't had a leave for a long time, sir. Beside Kelvin would be on duty that day."

"Kelvin's not Fury. I want him on duty that day." He watched with satisfaction at Hawkeye's unease. Then he added, after a strategic pause, "of course, I'll reconsider if you tell me what you guys are up to. And don't tell me you don't know."

Hawkeye sighed. She hated it! But there's no choice, Fury must go!

"We're planning a boat trip, sir."

"Why aren't I invited?" Mustang's face had displeasure written all over it.

"Well, you see, the boys hope that they can pick up some girls, but knowing you, they won't have much chance if you go too. So, they insist that you should be leave out."

"Nonsense! They have better chance meeting some beauties if I go too!"

"It's not quite the same, Colonel!" Hawkeye explained, "it won't help their self-esteem to see all the girls swarm round you."

Mustang considered that, "what about this: if you go as my girlfriend, then they could have all the girls."

"No way!" Hawkeye exclaimed.

"Why not?" Mustang looked hurt, "don't tell me you plan to pick up some boys that day, Lieutenant!"

"Oh, don't be silly, Colonel!" Hawkeye said with exasperation. "That's my day off, I'm not going to spend it watching over you too!"

"That would be a just punishment for lying to me."

"I haven't," Hawkeye pointed out. "It's indeed private business, and they are indeed my friends."

"It's the intent that count." He cut off Hawkeye's protest with a wave of Fury's form. "I will put it on hold."

"But Colonel, Fury must go! He's the one who got us the boat!"

"I go, he go." Mustang grinned.

"You have to work on that day." Hawkeye put up her last defense.

"That could be fixed." Mustang promptly picked up his phone and asked for the General. After that, Hawkeye could only quietly admire his skill at sweet-tonguing the General for leave. When he finally put down the phone in triumph, she knew it was again time to think up some kind words for Havoc to get pass another heartbreak.

She said with resignation, "if you'll excuse me, sir, I will go break it to the boys."

"Very well, Lieutenant." Mustang said cheerfully, turning back to the window, and for the first time that day, really appreciated the beauty of this sunny afternoon.

"Oh, Lieutenant," He suddenly said, "do you think they would like it if I borrow a yacht for the trip?"

"I'm sure they would." Hawkeye said, pausing at the door.

"Then would you wear a bikini?"

Dead silence filled the room…

BANG!

Mustang turned slowly to see if his office door survived the slam. Then he turned back to the window. Well, can't blame me for trying!

**End.**

_Author's note: Don't think Mustang would risk flirting with Hawkeye, she's too important for such chancy thing. And not to mention there's no bikini in a world that still requires phone operator. Of course Mustang could be the inventor of it. That man has enough genius and drive. _


End file.
